House bill could pull plug on Arizona photo radar

PHOENIX — A bill will be introduced Tuesday at the State Capitol that seeks to shut down photo radar cameras.

Last year a legislative attempt to pull the plug on radar cameras failed by one vote.

Shawn Dow with Campaign for Liberty is driving the attempt to shut down the cameras and believes it will happen this year.

“These things increase accidents and all of them need to be taken down. That bright photo flash is causing accidents,” he said.

Peoria and Tempe have already turned off the cameras. In 2011, Peoria police told city officials that collisions at four intersections with the cameras had increased by 29 percent.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous. If you stood out on a corner with a camera and a bright flash, and flashed a driver you would go to jail,” said Dow.

Cameras are still up and running in Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson. Dow believes only a law enforcement officer should be allowed to write tickets, not private companies such as camera operator Redflex.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety ceased its speed-camera program in 2010 and officials removed the devices from Valley freeways.